Equipment
Spotted: Nike Covert Tour 2.0 Driver
Say hello to the Nike Covert Tour 2.0 driver, which landed on the USGA’s List of Conforming Driver heads earlier this week and was being tested by Charl Schwartzel today at the Tour Championship.
Like Nike’s 2013 VR_S Covert and Covert Tour drivers, the Covert Tour 2.0 has Nike’s FlexLoft adapter, which is a clue that the driver is likely headed for retail (unlike the non-adjustable Covert Tour Version 5 and 6 drivers added to the list in recent months).
It’s hard to say from the photos exactly what has changed about the Covert Tour 2.0 other than the new graphics scheme. Nike has swapped the red paint that surrounded last year’s cavity-back area on the driver for white paint, which should further highlight the driver’s main selling point. The cavity section of the driver also appears to be larger than last year’s Covert Tour model, which should further increase the driver’s forgiveness on mishits.
Nike also placed the word “Tour” in large letters in the center of the sole, which will make it easier for consumers to differentiate between the company’s lower-spinning Tour model and Nike’s higher-spinning performance model.
Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the driver in the forums.
Click here to see what GolfWRX members are saying about the driver in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Justin
Nov 1, 2013 at 9:38 pm
If it has a better sound than the last one then i’ll give it a try. Did not like the high pitch sound of the last VRS Tour
Pingback: New Nike Golf VR_S Covert 2.0 Driver Pics | NG NATION — Nike Golf Fan Blog
KCCO
Sep 30, 2013 at 7:29 pm
I actually liked the last covert (tour? Smaller/black face) anyhow, liked the sound and had a low trajectory to my liking, stock shaft wasn’t for me, but was able to play with a blk tie and enjoyed more than any other driver besides D3….but just don’t like the red, and not a hard decision when u put d3 next to it
J Duf
Sep 23, 2013 at 10:12 am
Just give up already…
lloyd duffield
Sep 20, 2013 at 6:41 am
i think nike has struggled to be taken has a major contender in the golf market but this year with the new gear and signing big names they stepped up big time. but saying that i had the covert tour driver is was great looking bit of kit but it wasnt the best i hit but i blame the crap stock shaft. but i did have there vr pro combo irons and they was one of the best irons ive hit and there putters are good as well. saying all this is good but they cant rely on staff players selling there products they need to stop saying BELIEAVE IN THE ATHLETE and start saying BELIVE IN THE PRODUCTS because how long has Tiger Woods got left and will Rory ever win again ? wot im saying is when Tigers gone and Rory stumps to 100+ wots going to happen to Nike Golf ? after all this im still a fan and wish them all the best
Pastorcam201
Sep 19, 2013 at 9:38 pm
I love my covert tour driver it’s a bomb I can draw or fade the ball I’ve never been able to do that before plus my neighbor through out his pulled real deal diamana ahina shaft I dumpster dove and put it in my covert and it really came alive
pablo
Sep 19, 2013 at 8:53 pm
I live in Arizona and hit callaway razr fit drivers and woods, but when we were on vaca in maui earlier this year, even at very close to sea level and with damp air, the covert rental metal driver and 3 wood produced insane distance and trajectory for me. i drove the green from 290 yards hitting from the forward tees (easier to play with my wife on vaca) and the ball went thru the green. the 3 metal i hit 250 yards on a par 5 second shot. normally i’m 265ish and 220ish. the sound of the driver is not to my liking, but that day i was ripping the skin off the ball!
Boo
Oct 19, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Bet your short game sucks though…
Jack
Sep 19, 2013 at 3:44 am
Yeah, the COR is maxed out. What else can you do other than spin? How much does driver perimeter weighting (a la the SLDR) affect clubface at impact? Good point on that though.
Zach
Sep 19, 2013 at 1:01 am
Honestly, I’m done buying woods now.. maybe one hybrid but that’s it. I’ve finally got out of my way and realized there are two types of drivers, low spinning, and high spinning. Everything else with CG and COR are basically the same. It’s about selling points.. No one is gonna say the driver is gonna perform the same, they’re gonna say it’s bigger, faster, stronger. Some in a blue moon will actually perform better, but in most cases they won’t..
Deaus7
Sep 18, 2013 at 9:57 pm
I would have to LOVE IT to put it in the bag cause I would have to pay someone to paint the thing black or do it myself. Other than the red it looks pretty sweet.
Steve
Sep 18, 2013 at 5:24 pm
I have been playing the Covert Performance driver all summer and I must say it is the BEST CLUB, of any kind, that I’ve ever hit. Im a 1 HDCP and have had the same Matrix TP7 HD shaft in 4 different heads (R11, R11S,Ping Anser and the Covert) 10-15 yds longer than the others and WAY more forgiving.
Guantanemo
Sep 18, 2013 at 4:57 pm
I tried out the original Covert Tour, and was really impressed by it. I like how the new version doesn’t have the “Covert” alignment aid on top. I’ll be looking forward to trying it.
gus
Sep 18, 2013 at 4:41 pm
The white in the cavity will surely reduce glare when addressing the ball…
[end of sarcasm]
tricky
Oct 3, 2013 at 8:09 am
you must be shorter than me, I cannot see the bottom of the club when I tee it up…..
[end of sarcasm]
Danny
Sep 18, 2013 at 2:18 pm
When will we be able to buy the Covert SQ? I thought square heads resulted in straighter drives & more fairways, Nike ditch that?
FATZ
Sep 18, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Actually, the Cavity was their way or duplicating SQ tech into the round head from what we were told in all ads and readings.
I am still of the camp which views Nike as being inferior. They had a golden era, but their new stuff is just inferior.
Jack
Sep 19, 2013 at 3:36 am
When was their golden area? The SQ series?
Jack
Sep 19, 2013 at 3:36 am
oops meant era
Blanco
Sep 20, 2013 at 1:35 am
I’m calling fugazi on Fatz.
Nike makes better or just as good putters, wedges, irons, and FAIRWAYS. ALL OF TODAY’S KIT IS GOOD. It’s what we like the best in terms of look, feel, performance, and we’re all different.
I’m on a mission to civilize.
Baba Booey
Sep 18, 2013 at 2:17 pm
that new paint job is scientifically proven to increase club head speed by 10x – Nike #faster #speed #longer #straighter #mostoftheirPGAprossuckordontplayit
Andrew
Sep 18, 2013 at 2:11 pm
Oh yummy…my two favorite colors, red and white…. a frigging strawberry Sunday.
Hey Cindy, TM has sunk both of those boats under your feet… What’s really interesting is there is a HUGE quantity of Gen 1 product in the pipeline…with no material differentiation. Good luck moving these at full price.
Matt
Sep 18, 2013 at 12:18 am
fugly
fjfj
Sep 18, 2013 at 2:05 pm
you wanna see fugly? look in the mirror.
Jesse
Sep 18, 2013 at 2:08 pm
+1^^
Billy
Sep 17, 2013 at 5:25 pm
Sick!!!
Dave
Sep 17, 2013 at 10:30 am
Yay?? pffft…